The Council of Europe’s group of experts on human trafficking has urged the Turkish authorities to improve the identification of victims of trafficking and the protection which is given to them.
In its first report on Turkey, published today, the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) expressed particular concern about the limited number of specialised shelters for victims. The experts urged the authorities to provide appropriate and safe accommodation for all identified victims – women, men and children – and to facilitate their social inclusion.
GRETA’s report notes that Turkey has taken a number of steps to combat human trafficking, including the establishment in Turkish law of victims’ rights to a recovery and reflection period and a renewable residence permit. Co-ordination structures and specialised anti-trafficking units have also been set up, and a regulation laying down procedures for the identification of, and support for, victims of trafficking was adopted in 2016.
